So just last week days ago my family was invited to one of our neighbor’s daughter’s wedding.
Being the first Malay* wedding that I attended, I figured I’d write a short post about it.
Before I get to the event itself, I’d like to clarify one thing: A Malay wedding has a few unique practices/rituals that take place before the actual ceremony itself, which only family and the closest of friends may take part in. I did some reading about the traditions involved**, which can be found here (it’s a short, sweet read, a more detailed source can be found here.)
Back in the old days, a Malay wedding would be held at either the bride or the groom’s house, but this one was different, as their families wanted it to be quite the grand occasion. Our lady and man of the day, Aiza and Syafiq, chose a massive hall to celebrate their tenure as Raja Sehari (which means King/Queen/Ruler for a day).
The reception began at 11 in the morning, with the bride and groom turning up at half past 12 afterwards. The double doors were thrown open, and as Aiza and Syafiq stood by the entrance, a calming Muslim prayer rang out for all present, and all stood still as we embraced a moment of silence.
‘Heart beats fast, colors and promises..’
As Christina Perri’s love melody rang out over the theater, Aiza and Syafiq stepped forward, walking slowly up to the podium in white to take their place as Queen and King for the day.
Being Malaysian, of course any form of celebration would not be complete without good food. Pandan cakes and fruits, Santan Vegetables with crisps, Malay Char-Kuay Teow, Chicken Curry, and Beef Rendang (not crispy) fit the bill just right for all present.
The rest of the event was spent with everyone interacting with each other, and guests getting to take photos with the King and Queen on their stage.
The main ceremony itself was nice and simple, and maybe some of you guys can draw parallels to your own wedding cultures. Are they similar? Comment below and have a great day!!
*In Malaysia, the main local ethnicity is well, Malay, comprising of ~70% of the population. Other races such as Chinese and Indian make up the majority of the remaining 30%.
**Note: In the past, marriages were arranged, hence the tradition of merisik, which was the process of ‘scouting’ around for potential life partners. Nowadays, some of these traditions have changed to keep up with the modern times, and now merisik is a time for the couple to get to know their future in-laws better.
Sources: Wedding.com.my and Malaysia Culture and Lifestyle
The Other Side 